Research On The Relationship Between Confucianism And Buddhism By Xie Yingfang

The study of the relationship between Confucianism and Buddhism is one of the important issues in the study of Chinese ideology and culture.At present,the academic circle mainly focuses on the study of the relationship between Confucianism and Buddhism since Ming and Qing dynasties.Some scholars also study the relationship between Confucianism and Buddhism from the introduction of Buddhism into China to the Song Dynasty,but almost no scholars study the relationship between Confucianism and Buddhism in the Yuan Dynasty.Xie Yingfang,one of the representative neo-Confucianism in the Yuan and Ming dynasties,had the same ideological system as Neo-Confucianism in the Song Dynasty,in order to revive Confucianism,and his main way to revive Confucianism was to "criticize Buddhism with Confucianism".Due to the unique social background and personal ideological changes in the late Yuan Dynasty,he constantly absorbed Buddhist thoughts and showed the ideological characteristics of "Buddhism" in his later years.The main content of this thesis is divided into four chapters.The first chapter is the introduction,which briefly explains the origin of the topic of this paper.Based on the theme of the Sinicization of religion,it studies the relationship between Confucianism and Buddhism.At present,there are many scholars who have studied the relationship between Confucianism and Buddhism in Song Dynasty and Ming Dynasty,but few scholars have explored the relationship between Confucianism and Buddhism in Yuan Dynasty.Therefore,the study of the relationship between Confucianism and Buddhism in Yuan Dynasty is of certain novelty.In addition,Xie Yingfang was an important figure in this period.Although he attracted the attention of some scholars,most of them focused on his literary thoughts,and there were few discussions on his rich thoughts of Confucianism and Buddhism,which was not comparable to his rich thoughts of Confucianism and Buddhism.Therefore,the second chapter of this article will start from Xie Yingfang’s life,writings,thoughts and the background of the negotiation between Confucianism and Buddhism.Through research,it is found that Xie’s life thought has a significant change,but leisurely between Confucianism,Buddhism,Taoism,contains a wealth of Confucianism and Buddhism thoughts.He presents Confucianism and Buddhism thoughts with his own body is very distinctive.Specifically,his Confucianism and Buddhism thoughts can be divided into two periods: criticizing Buddhism in his early years and learning Buddhism in his later years.Therefore,in the third chapter of the article,Xie’s thoughts of "criticizing Buddhism" in his early years are discussed.Because of his identity as a scholar and the ritualization of Buddhism,he mainly criticizes Buddhism from the aspects of "the Buddha of sacrifice","the teaching of ghosts and gods" and the "funeral ceremony" of Buddhism,showing the characteristics of "criticizing Buddhism with Confucianism".The fourth chapter studies Xie’s "advocating Buddhism" thought in his later years.He interprets Confucian "unity of virtue and happiness" with Buddhist "Karma",Confucian "filial piety" with Buddhist "benevolence" and Confucian "harmony between heaven and man" with Buddhist "benevolence",showing the characteristics of "interpreting Confucianism with Buddhism" and "connecting Confucianism with Buddhism".By studying Xie Yingfang’s thoughts of Confucianism and Buddhism,we can help us to understand the dispute and fusion between the two schools of Confucianism and Buddhism in the late Yuan Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty,which enriched the connotation of Chinese culture and promoted the process of the Sinicization of Buddhism.In addition,in the construction of multi-culture and development at that time,he showed a rigorous academic attitude,the pursuit of the idea of the world,the transcendent quality of practice and the earthly care of suffering are worthy of our indepth study.